A Clear Cut Issue

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3493, 1 November 1926, Page 3

A Clear Cut Issue

No contributor to the Dominion’s ■ frozen meat industry can deny, after reading the remarks of the Chairman of the Feilding Farmers’ Freezing Company, that the industry, as far as the farmers’ works are concerned, is in a desperate position. Whilst the proposed merger, which was outlined by the “Times” in February last, will undoubtedly enable the producers to offer a hold front to the activities of the Trusts, there is another phase of the position which the producers themselves can alone deal with. That is, supporting the fannerowned institutions.

It is extraordinary that farmers neglect the freezing companies in which they are financially interested, by sending their stock to other operators. Certainly nothing more unbusinesslike could be conceived. Such works were constructed at the wish of the shareholding producers, to secure for the farmer a fair return for his enterprise, capital, and labour, and also to protect the farmers from exploitation by the operations of , the big Trusts. By neglecting their own works the farmers are playing into the hands of the very institutions whom they wished to avoid, and those that arc acting in this manner must share the responsibility for the desperate position New Zealand’s freezing industry is in to-day. This attitude is not unlike that of New Zealand towards the Homeland in regard to trade within the Empire. We expect England to take all of our primary produce and to consistently pay high prices for it. whilst we patronise foreign markets for our requirements. England’s ability to pay sails factory prices for our produce is dependent upon the Dominions’ patronage of her industries. And the same thing applies to the. farmer-oy.Tied freezing works. They cannot expect to achieve the objects for which they wore promoted, unless the shareholders are loyal in their support.

Farmers cannot afford to throw money away, although the attitude of those who are neglecting the farmer-owned works*which they helped to finance, would suggest that the .contrary was the case. Each year an appeal has gone forth from the Directors of the Feilding Farmers’ Freezing Company for the farmer shareholders to support their works, and it is regrettable that there arc still a number who ignore the logic of the appeal. Mr -T. C. Cohhe’s timely review of the circumstances which have hromrht about the immediate need for a mercer, may have the effect, of hrincinc the nrodneers as a. whole to realise just where their folly is leading them. If farmers would only realise the power they could command by unity, lovalty. and true eo-oneration. they would annreciate how quickly all their difficulties might he made to disappear.